Friday, 18 December 2009

SOMETHING FROM THE VAULTS 1

Hey guys,

Apologies for the ABYSMAL lack of posts this last couple of weeks. I'm at that awkward time when it's too soon to show my latest stuff, as well as signing a "confidential agreement" about another piece of work.

So, as I'm feeling guilty about this, I've decided to start this "Something From The Vaults" feature. Everytime I'm stuck for new work to post, I'll have a look through my dusty files and see what I can find. Generally I've shied away from posting old stuff, as I don't want casual browsers to see it and think that's the standard I'm at now, but I thought "Screw it"....it may be good for me to see these old horrors as well.

First up, we travel allllllllllll the way back to around 2001, when I was still working in a Liverpool cinema trying to break in. I actually have a chap named Marc Sobel to thank for getting me noticed by DC/Vertigo. He'd written a nice little story called "Starfish" that I had illustrated, and we eventually met at one of the UK conventions where Vertigo editor Shelly Bond was looking at portfolios.

Unfortunately, I had to leave before having a chance to show our work, but Marc stuck around to meet her. She must have liked what she saw as a while later she called me up to try me out for the then in development, "Fables" (which I'm sure alot of you have heard of).

Below are the two pencilled sample pages I submitted featuring Snow White and Bigby Wolf, but obviously didn't get the gig. With 'Fables" being the big hit it is today, it makes you wonder what my life would be like now if I'd got it! But hey, I aint complaining! I couldn't be happier how my life has turned out now!

Thanks lot Rob--this was the first of 3 official auditions I had with Vertigo until they eventually made me penciller on The Witching. Next I think I may post up my very first 2000AD job in the next day or two...

Well once again, it'll be a Future Shock way before I established my ultra detailed Defoe style. Plus It'll be the pencilled version before the fantastic Dylan Teague got his inky hands on it. Glad you're liking it mate!

Hey Alan, thanks you sir. I don't even think i had a style way back then--it was only when I had a complete rethink about my work around 4 years ago that I made a conscious effort to develop a style of my own.Yeah, any time I was being inked by someone else, my pencils would be really tight--not that that would make any difference sometimes...

About Me

I'm a professional comic book artist, based in Liverpool, who has worked on many projects for DC COMICS, 2000AD,and was also the 2008 artist for the LEGO "BIONICLE" comic.
Mostly you can find me in the pages of 2000AD, having drawn JUDGE DREDD, AQUILA with Gordon Rennie, and now drawing my sixth book of the 17th century zombie hunter DEFOE, written by Pat Mills!